St Leonard's Church, Sutton Veny
Encyclopedia
St Leonard's Church in Sutton Veny
, Wiltshire
, England, was built in the 12th century. It has been designated by English Heritage
as a Grade II listed building, and is now a redundant church
in the care of the Churches Conservation Trust
. It was declared redundant on 28 May 1970, and was vested
in the Trust on 27 October 1971.
The cruciform church was started in the 12th century and revised in the 13th and 16th centuries, and underwent a major restoration in 1831. Subsidence because of low lying damp ground caused further damage, and by 1866 the decision had been made to build a new church. This was dedicated to St John the Evangelist, designed by John Loughborough Pearson
and built on higher ground 700 yards (640.1 m) to the north west, opening in 1868. Only the chancel remains in usable condition and was used as a mortuary chapel. It contains benefaction boards, a bier
, font
, bell and memorials on the walls. The nave
, transept
s and crossing
are ruined.
Sutton Veny
Sutton Veny is a small village situated in the Wylye Valley, about 2 miles south east of the town of Warminster in Wiltshire, England. 'Sutton' means south farmstead in relation to Norton Bavant, one mile to the north...
, Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
, England, was built in the 12th century. It has been designated by English Heritage
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
as a Grade II listed building, and is now a redundant church
Redundant church
A redundant church is a church building that is no longer required for regular public worship. The phrase is particularly used to refer to former Anglican buildings in the United Kingdom, but may refer to any disused church building around the world...
in the care of the Churches Conservation Trust
Churches Conservation Trust
The Churches Conservation Trust, which was initially known as the Redundant Churches Fund, is a charity whose purpose is to protect historic churches at risk, those that have been made redundant by the Church of England. The Trust was established by the Pastoral Measure of 1968...
. It was declared redundant on 28 May 1970, and was vested
Vesting
In law, vesting is to give an immediately secured right of present or future enjoyment. One has a vested right to an asset that cannot be taken away by any third party, even though one may not yet possess the asset. When the right, interest or title to the present or future possession of a legal...
in the Trust on 27 October 1971.
The cruciform church was started in the 12th century and revised in the 13th and 16th centuries, and underwent a major restoration in 1831. Subsidence because of low lying damp ground caused further damage, and by 1866 the decision had been made to build a new church. This was dedicated to St John the Evangelist, designed by John Loughborough Pearson
John Loughborough Pearson
John Loughborough Pearson was a Gothic Revival architect renowned for his work on churches and cathedrals. Pearson revived and practised largely the art of vaulting, and acquired in it a proficiency unrivalled in his generation.-Early life and education:Pearson was born in Brussels, Belgium on 5...
and built on higher ground 700 yards (640.1 m) to the north west, opening in 1868. Only the chancel remains in usable condition and was used as a mortuary chapel. It contains benefaction boards, a bier
Bier
A bier is a stand on which a corpse, coffin or casket containing a corpse, is placed to lie in state or to be carried to the grave.In Christian burial, the bier is often placed in the centre of the nave with candles surrounding it, and remains in place during the funeral.The bier is a flat frame,...
, font
Baptismal font
A baptismal font is an article of church furniture or a fixture used for the baptism of children and adults.-Aspersion and affusion fonts:...
, bell and memorials on the walls. The nave
Nave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
, transept
Transept
For the periodical go to The Transept.A transept is a transverse section, of any building, which lies across the main body of the building. In Christian churches, a transept is an area set crosswise to the nave in a cruciform building in Romanesque and Gothic Christian church architecture...
s and crossing
Crossing (architecture)
A crossing, in ecclesiastical architecture, is the junction of the four arms of a cruciform church.In a typically oriented church , the crossing gives access to the nave on the west, the transept arms on the north and south, and the choir on the east.The crossing is sometimes surmounted by a tower...
are ruined.